New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday came down heavily on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress party over the Katchatheevu issue as the BJP intensifies its campaign in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha elections. Referring to a news report, PM Modi said that new details emerging on Katchatheevu have “unmasked the DMK’s double standard”.
Modi said, “Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests. New details emerging on Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMK’s double standards totally.”
“The Congress and DMK are family units. They only care that their own sons and daughters rise. They don’t care for anyone else. Their callousness on Katchatheevu has harmed the interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular,” he added.
He said, “Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been the Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting.”
In 1974, the Indian government, under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, signed an agreement with Sri Lanka relinquishing India’s claim to the island. This move was highly controversial, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where there was widespread opposition, as the island had been traditionally used by Indian fishermen. DMK MP Era Sezhiyan had strongly opposed it in Parliament, denouncing it as a surrender of territory without proper consultation.
A report published by The Times of India has now claimed that then Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi had given his general acceptance to the agreement in a meeting with Indian officials prior to the Centre’s announcement. The media report is based on an RTI reply received by Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai to his queries on the 1974 agreement between India and Lanka when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister.
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